Almost overnight

Almost overnight, Nico became a sensation on Stone Love. Known for his juggling ability and humourous repartee on the mike, it is Nico that many see as the future of Stone Love. He is a true child of the dance who remembers sneaking out of his home, at the tender age of 9, to attend area dances in inner-city of Southside where he grew up. With no money to buy even a soda, Nico would take in the sights, and especially the sounds, of the dances.

Growing up he honed his desire to be involved in the sound system business by setting up the component set of a neighbour into a make-shift sound. It was on this ‘system’ that Nico decided that he had what it took to make it big and decided to take it from his neighbourhood into the world.

What came next was stints on a dizzying array of sounds including Digitech, Desert Eagle, Squad 51, La Benz and Jam One. Each of these sounds he describes as a school and each shaped the DJ Nico is today.

October 1994 marked Nico’s debut on Stone Love and while the journey to the sound system was a long one; the young DJ feels it was well worth it. Nico had always seen Rory on the turntables and admired his style and even for a short time imitated him. A chance meeting through a brethren who lived in Red Hills, acquainted him with Billy Slaughter. Billy, who had often played with Nico while he was with Jam One, encouraged the young selector to try and get a job with Stone Love as a space on their team had just become open.

Slaughter told the selector to meet him at one of the legendary Thursday night sessions at House of Leo. Nico came on the scene but was dismayed to find that Slaughter was no where to be seen. His spirits rose when Rory asked him whether he wanted to go ahead and play...Nico answered by giving one of the performances of his life. Wee-Pow, who by then had come to the dance, asked him if he would like the job and Nico joined the Stone Love family.

While the sound system he learned his craft on were schools, Stone Love always seemed like the reward for his hard work. Nico now contends that everyday is a test with Stone Love as the sound continues in its quest to present the best music to Jamaicans and the world. For his part, Nico remains eager to learn from Wee-Pow and his fellow selectors and spends many hours at their Burlington headquarters learning new music and finding interesting ways to play it.